Career Services
CAREER SERVICES University Center 225 careerservices@nku.edu 859-572-5680 Hours Weekdays, 8:15 am-4:30 pm Mondays open late (until 6 pm) nku.edu/careerservices
OVERVIEW • Resumes and Cover Letters • Refer to your resume and cover letter to take notes • Overview of Other Services • Job Search Assistance • Career Fairs • Online Resources • Tips for Success • Professional Dress • Wrap up
AAEE Job Search Handbook for Educators • The American Association for Employment in Education (AAEE) connects professionals who prepare educators with those who hire them. • Prepared annually, the Handbook’s relevancy and substantial focus make it the premier job search handbook on university campuses across the country.
RESUMES Page 8 in Job Search Handbook
WHY ARE RESUMES IMPORTANT?
CONTACT INFORMATION • Include e-mail address and phone. • Make sure e-mail is appropriate. • Address is optional; both current and permanent address can be used, if desired. • Be consistent with abbreviations.
CONTACT INFO. EXAMPLE Sam Jones Covington, KY 859-123-4567 JonesSam@mail.com SAM JONES 859-123-4567 | JonesSam@mail.com | SamJones.Blog.com
CONTACT INFO. EXAMPLE S AM J ONES 1029 S. Twelfth Street Covington, KY 41017 859-123-4567 JonesSam@mail.com Sam Jones Permanent: Current, Until May 29: 1029 S. Twelfth Street 20 Campbell Drive, # 2078 Covington, KY 41017 Highland Heights, KY 41076 859-123-4567 | JonesSam@mail.com
CAREER/JOB OBJECTIVE • Gives your resume a point of focus. • Specific to the position you are seeking, the grades you wish to teach, the location where you are applying (if the school district/organization has multiple locations), etc. • The more personalized it is, the better.
CAREER/JOB OBJECTIVE Examples: • To obtain a position as a math teacher for grades 7-12. • Seeking a teaching position in middle-grades special education. • Relocating to Louisville, KY in May 2020; seeking English Teacher position.
EDUCATION • Name of university • City, state • Expected graduation date • Name of degree • Bachelor of Arts • Bachelor of Science • Bachelor of Social Work
EDUCATION EXAMPLES Northern Kentucky University, Highland Heights, KY Bachelor of Arts in Middle Grades Education Graduation: December 2019 Minor in German GPA: 3.34/4.00 Northern Kentucky University, Highland Heights, KY Bachelor of Arts, expected May 2020 Major: Secondary Education Minor: History • GPA: 3.7/4.0
EXPERIENCE Refer to page 11 in the Job • Your title Search Handbook for • Name of workplace helpful tips on creating powerful bullet statements! • City, state • Months and years of employment • Action-oriented phrases with bullet points • Should have implied subject of “I” • Present jobs: Manage, Assist, Write • Past jobs: Managed, Assisted, Wrote
EXPERIENCE EXAMPLE Southern High School, Fakecity, KY Student Teaching, 9 th Grade Science, August 2019-Present Collaborate with staff, administration, and outside agencies in weekly meetings Plan, construct, and teach daily lesson plans in laboratory and classroom settings Created new, interactive lesson plan on water quality testing in various ecosystems Organized service learning project for class of 25 students
These two EXPERIENCE EXAMPLE examples represent the same job, but note how the Server, Olive Garden, Florence, KY, June 2017 – January 2019 second listing is • Took customers’ orders, served food and beverages, and more detailed bussed tables and tells you • Delivered personalized customer service and conveyed more about the knowledge of menu person’s skills and experience. Server, Olive Garden, Florence, KY, June 2017 – January 2019 • Delivered personalized customer service while taking detailed food and drink orders • Built rapport with diverse group of fellow employees • Selected by management to serve at special corporate event in August 2018; key holder • Worked 35 hours per week while maintaining full course load
If you have some related RELATED EXPERIENCE experience that isn’t your most recent, History Teaching Position consider using two RELATED EXPERIENCE sections. Cincinnati Historical Society, Cincinnati, OH Archival Processing Intern, September 2018-December 2018 • Surveyed boxed materials and culled items, meeting collection guidelines • Listed box contents and wrote folder lists; wrote finding aids for small collections Covington Partners, Newport, KY Summer School Program Assistant, March 2017-August 2017 • Monitored groups of 10-25 children ages K-3 rd Grade in computer lab • Ensured student safety on various field trips and collected permission slips • Communicated with children and parents/family members ADDITIONAL EXPERIENCE Applebee's, Highland Heights, KY Server, August 2017-Present
THINGS NOT TO INCLUDE • Street addresses • Supervisor’s name • Zip codes • Phone numbers (except yours) • Interests • References (see page 17 of the Job Search Handbook for tips)
NO TEMPLATES! Templates help students get started. For new professionals, customization is key! • Employers tell us template resumes lack originality • Can show a lack of initiative • Very difficult to edit • Not easily viewable by Applicant Tracking Systems • Creating a strong resume on your own demonstrates proficiency with Microsoft Word
WHO WOULD YOU HIRE?
FORMATTING SUGGESTIONS • Use a traditional, easy-to-read font such as Arial, Times New Roman, Calibri, etc. • Font size should be between 10- and 12-point. • Margins should not be more narrow than 0.5 inches; 1 inch is ideal • No borders, boxes, tables, or graphics • Black ink for main information; use color sparingly • No photos
CHECK FOR CONSISTENCY • Order of wording within each section • Formatting: bold, italics, underlines, etc. • Abbreviations (states and months) • Headings and lines • Bullets (size, shape, and alignment) • Vary your action verbs
SHORTENING STRATEGIES • Formatting • Margins • Font choice/size • Spacing between sections/lines • Content • Shortening wording • Combine short bullet points • Efficient Use of Space • Address, phone, email on one line • Employer, location, job title, dates on one line • Using a line for one word/short item
ADDITIONAL CONTENT • Can include links to LinkedIn profile, professional portfolio, or website if GREAT! • Include class/group projects, capstone experiences, etc. • Include leadership experience; can be in Experience section • Follow formatting style used for other jobs and experiences
COVER LETTERS Page 14 in the Job Search Handbook
WHY WRITE A COVER LETTER?
COVER LETTERS • No more than 1 page. • Formal letter (block/paragraph) format. • Personalized to the position and school/employer. • Do not re-state phrases from resume but provide more thorough examples of your experience. • Connect to the school’s mission, teaching philosophy, community, etc.
WHO WOULD YOU HIRE? Dear Principal Smith: To whom it may concern: I’m applying for a full -time I am writing to express interest in the Social teaching potion. I beleive Studies Teacher position I that my bachelors degree and experience mean I’m saw posted on your website. I believe that my going to do good at this academic background job. I hope you will give and volunteer experience me an interivew so I can will make me an ideal get the job. I also do candidate for the position. some volunteering. (continued) (continued)
ANOTHER EXAMPLE Dear Principal Smith and Hiring Committee: It is with great enthusiasm that I am applying to the Math Teacher position I saw posted on your website. Throughout my education, I have focused on integrating hands-on STEM activities into each of my classroom experiences. I believe that my academic background and STEM-focused volunteer experience will make me an ideal candidate for this position. (continued)
OVERVIEW OF OTHER SERVICES
JOB SEARCH ASSISTANCE • Resume and cover letter review • Fall 2019 Walk-in Hours (in Career Services, UC 225) • Mondays, 3-5 pm • Wednesdays, 1-3 pm • Thursdays, 9-10:30 am • By appointment, if needed • Mock/practice interviews, by appointment • HireNKU (online job search database) • Teacher Candidates webpage with resources • Career Fairs
CAREER FAIRS • Southwest Ohio/Northern KY Education Career Fair: • At Xavier University’s Cintas Center (free parking ) • 100+ employers from tri-state area and nationwide • Candidates from NKU and six other area universities • Mon., March 30, 2020 from 8:30 am-5 pm • Check-in starting at 8:30 am • Orientation at 9:15 am • Career fair/networking from 9:30-11:30 am • Interviews by appointment in the afternoon • In 2019, the NKU students who attended had up to 6 interviews (with an average of 3.5 interviews!
CAREER FAIRS • Teacher Career/Networking Fair: • At Northern Kentucky University; only NKU candidates • 18+ employers, primarily from Kentucky • Mon., April 27, 2020 from 3-4:30 pm in UC lobbies (precedes awards ceremony in UC Ballroom) • Networking only, interviews will be scheduled afterwards Check your NKU email for updates in April; there may be changes!
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